Items tagged with OS

The upgrade cycle begins, with Microsoft’s latest operating system--the highly anticipated Windows 10--rolling out over Windows Update for free, for users of Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. For those that are ready to take the plunge over the weekend, there are some things to note. While this guide is by no means exhaustive, there are some useful reminders here as well as some potential pitfalls that may rear their ugly head during the upgrade process. So far, Microsoft has been rolling out the upgrade in waves and stages. If you are not one of the ‘lucky’ ones to be in the first wave, you can take...Read more...

It has been a few weeks since Microsoft released its Technical Preview of Windows 10 -- which means we've had enough time to walk around the vehicle, kick the tires, and investigate the product in its current form. After the drubbing that Windows 8 took in the tech press and from angry users, Microsoft badly needs this new operating system to be a success, but simply cramming the Start menu back into the OS isn't going to cut it. Windows 10 Hands-On: Beyond The Start Menu, What You Need To Know Don't mistake us here. It's still important to evaluate Windows 10 as a work-in-progress but we're going...Read more...

It has been a few weeks since Microsoft released its Technical Preview of Windows 10 -- which means we've had enough time to walk around the vehicle, kick the tires, and investigate the product in its current form. After the drubbing that Windows 8 took in the tech press and from angry users, Microsoft badly needs this new operating system to be a success, but simply cramming the Start menu back into the OS isn't going to cut it. So what has Microsoft been up to all this time beyond the Start menu's triumphant return? Let's take a look. The Road To Windows 10 We want to kick off this...Read more...

Buried in the details of Microsoft's technical preview for Windows 10 (look for our own discussion in short order), is a bit of a footnote concerning the operating system's requirements. I say footnote because this news -- that Windows 10 will have exactly the same requirements as Windows 8.1, which had the same requirements as Windows 8, which stuck to Windows 7, which was the same as Windows Vista -- is something we take for granted these days. As the years roll by, I can't help wondering what we're actually giving up in exchange for holding the minimum system spec at a single-core 1GHz, 32-bit...Read more...

There’s more than one way to skin a cat, and there’s more than one way to monetize your company’s products, especially when your product portfolio is as vast as Microsoft’s. To that end, Microsoft is reportedly experimenting with different ways to make money from its products and services that include offering its flagship operating system for free. This would be a stark departure from the norm for Microsoft, which has always charged for OS licenses, whether the cost is boxed software or wrapped up in a PC purchase. Of course, nothing is really free, so the tradeoff would...Read more...

Whatever you think about Windows 8.1, good or bad or what have you, we can all agree that the launch of Microsoft’s latest operating system has not gone at all how the company hoped. Microsoft appears ready to move beyond it, in any case, with its “Threshold” initiative designed to further unify Microsoft’s OS ecosystem. There’s an update to Windows 8.1 coming this year, and Microsoft will surely let the world in on its plans for the next generation of Windows at the BUILD conference in April, but the current scuttlebutt is that Threshold will launch in April 2015,...Read more...

Linus Torvalds is a man of many emotions. At times, he's got a great sense of humor - he did just name the 3.11 Linux kernel 'Linux for Workgroups', after all. Other times, and especially if you're a developer making his life harder, he can be less-than-pleasant, as has been evidenced time and time again. As much as I respect Linus, I've long believed that it wouldn't hurt to tone down his aggressiveness just a wee bit, and now, it's become clear that I'm not alone. On the official Linux kernel mailing list yesterday, Linus (perhaps jokingly) suggested that another developer should learn to become...Read more...

Microsoft has put a huge amount of effort, money, time, and resources into pumping up the Windows Phone Store. And there's no question as to why. Apple and Google both enjoy remarkably robust app marketplaces, and in the war of ecosystems, having an enviable app store goes a long way to attracting new users. Now, Windows Phone has yet another flagship app in its pocket: Spotify. What has become the most talked-about music streaming app in the U.S. now has a home on Windows Phone 8, and we'd guess that it'll surpass Microsoft's own music app in a short period of time. The initial release is just...Read more...

For the most part, users waiting patiently to upgrade to Windows 8 when it becomes available are expecting a smooth upgrade path, particularly those running Windows 7. Those with Vista or XP may be more concerned that a straight upgrade will be impossible. Details have emerged about the specifics of the Windows 8 upgrade possibilities. Here’s the scuttlebutt: If you’re upgrading from Windows XP (SP3) to Windows 8, you can do so, but you’ll only get to keep your personal files--no applications or system settings will come along for the ride. The same applies to those upgrading...Read more...

After a few leaks and premature teases, the Windows 8 Release Preview is here. Microsoft had previously hinted that it would be available the first week of June, but the final pre-release is out and ready for you to download and try out. According to a blog post announcing the Release Preview, this release is the last one before the Release to Manufacturing (aka “RTM”) phase, and the Windows 8 team will continue to solicit feedback from users and tweaking the new OS before the final version is available. From here on out, Microsoft says that it’s focusing on reliability, security,...Read more...

Great news if you're a Windows fan. Microsoft has just made available the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, which you can download right this very second. Included in the Consumer Preview is the much ballyhooed Metro UI along with scores of changes -- over 100,000 -- Microsoft made to the OS since releasing the Developer Preview. The download is available in English, Chinese (Simplified), French, German, and Japanese, each of which comes in 32-bit and 64-bit flavors. System requirements are as follows: Processor: 1GHz or faster RAM: 1GB (32-bit) or 2GB (64-bit) Hard disk space: 16GB (32-bit) or 20GB...Read more...

In addition to new device announcements and technology reveals, some interesting revelations are coming out of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona this week. One of those is the number of Android activations that occur on a daily basis. According to Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile at Google who oversees the development of Android, fans of the open-source platform are activating more than 850,000 devices every day. "There are over 450,000 applications in Android Market. Some of the developers who built these apps are showing their latest and greatest in the Android stand. But...Read more...

With a few exceptions, most Android users are still patiently waiting for their device manufacturer and/or wireless carrier to unwrap Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0). Be that as it may, technology marches on and the sweet toothed engineers at Google are hard at work cooking up code for Android 5.0, which will be known as Jelly Bean. According to reports, Jelly Bean could launch as early as the second quarter of 2012. Word on the Web is that Google has taken a fancy to the idea of dual-booting tablets shipping with both Windows 8 and Android 5.0. With Microsoft prepping its Metro-friendly Windows...Read more...

Get ready to see Firefox like you've never seen it before. Mozilla is working on an all new version of its popular browser for Windows 8, which will include a new Firefox front end and system integration points that will better integrate with the Metro UI environment. It will be a full-screen browser focused on touch interactions, and it will connect to the rest of the Metro environment through Windows 8 contracts, Mozilla says. The rebuilt browser will support three so-called 'snap' states, including full screen, 1/6th screen, and 5/6th screen, which will all depend on how the user docks two full...Read more...